Redress plans and a JACL statement on the Iranian crisis

Vol. 89, No. 70, November 23, 1979. 8 pages. View this issue

Redress and the Iranian hostage crisis shared the front page. JACL declared that it deplored mob actions against Iranian visitors and Americans of Iranian ancestry, and its Executive Committee announced a three-step redress position, with a $120,000 fundraising goal to support the congressional bills. Karl Nobuyuki, the executive director, spoke to a Placer County audience on why redress is a matter of justice as well as money. The same page covered election results: Harry E. Hiraoka won a fourth term on a community college board, and Dolores Sibonga won a Seattle City Council seat.

Elsewhere in these eight pages, Masaki Yamaguchi became a U.S. citizen at age 103, and a Texas jury acquitted two Vietnamese refugees of murder. Columns came from Clifford Uyeda on eating habits, Sheridan Tatsuno on nuclear power, and George Ige on his tour of South America. John T. Yasumoto announced the 1980 national convention in San Francisco.

What’s in this issue

National

• JACL deplores mob actions brewed by Iranian issue, by P.C. Staff, page 1. The JACL declared it was aware of references drawing parallels between actions against Iranian visitors and Americans of Iranian ancestry and the WWII treatment of Japanese Americans. The organization called for release of American hostages in Iran and urged the public to maintain peaceful vigilance and respect the Constitution.

Community

• Hiraoka retains community college seat, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Harry E. Hiraoka, a Fowler-born Nisei, won a fourth term on the State Center Community College board by a wide margin in the Nov. 6 election. He attributed his win to voters judging him on his record, and his career includes years on local school boards and time at Gila River during WWII.
• Jury acquits Seadrift Viet refugees of killing, by P.C. Staff, page 1. A Texas jury acquitted two Vietnamese refugees, Sau and Ngyuen Van Chinh, of murder after a shooting in Seadrift. The judge also granted an instructed verdict for Chinh, finding the state lacked substantial evidence against him.
• Sibonga polls 71,000 to win Seattle council seat, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Dolores Sibonga was elected to Seattle City Council Position 2 with 55% of the vote, becoming the first Filipino American and minority woman elected to the council. She is also a Seattle JACL board member.
• Sakaguchi elated by wide vote margin, by Special to The Pacific Citizen, page 1. Incumbent Sam Sakaguchi topped a 14-way race for Idaho Falls city council with 52.9% of the vote. He called the result a vote of confidence in the administration.
• Issei, 103, wins U.S. citizenship, by P.C. Staff, page 1. Judge Robert Takasugi swore in Masaki Yamaguchi, 103, as a naturalized citizen at Keiro Nursing Home in Los Angeles. The Issei had passed an oral examination the previous day.
• Harry Hiraoka and other Nikkei win local elections, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Several Japanese Americans won seats in local elections across California on Nov. 6, including Mrs. Leslie Kaji in Belmont and Paul K. Shimada in Natomas. Others, including Victor Nakamoto and Casey Kawamoto, narrowly lost their bids.
• Chapter pulse: Eden Township successful inaugural, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Eden Township JACL and Asian American Youths held a joint installation dinner attended by about 100 people, with a Silver Pin presented to Mrs. Jean Kawahara. John Tateishi spoke on the redress campaign.
• TV newscaster to address 35th Chicago JACL inaugural, by P.C. Staff, page 3. Chicago JACL announced that Channel 2 anchorman Bill Kurtis will speak at its 35th inaugural dinner-dance. Tickets are $18.50 per person with reduced rates for Issei and students.

Incarceration & Redress

• 3-step redress push ‘at this time’ stated, by P.C. Staff, page 1. JACL announced its official redress position, calling for a presidential commission on WWII evacuation and internment, appointment of minority members including Nikkei to it, and a $120,000 fundraising goal to support congressional bills. The Executive Committee unanimously approved the political education committee’s recommendations.
• Cal. high court with Enomoto on hiring plan, by P.C. Staff, page 3. The California Supreme Court declined to hear a case, letting stand a state appeals ruling that prison systems may give special consideration to hiring women and minorities under affirmative action plans. Jerry J. Enomoto, a past national JACL president, was a respondent in the case.

Commentary

• Accurate portrayal of Asians by TV industry urged by Mori, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Assemblyman S. Floyd Mori urged television producers to portray Asians accurately, arguing viewers are being systematically deceived. He supported the Screen Actors Guild designating Oct. 10 as a day of protest for social stereotyping.
• WRA camp-born Sansei warns Nisei against delusion about Evacuation, by P.C. Staff, page 3. JACL executive director Karl Nobuyuki told a Placer County audience that many Nikkei wrongly believe evacuation cannot happen again. He stressed that redress is a matter of justice as well as money and described pending congressional bills to create a fact-finding commission.
• Nuclear Shell Shock?, by Sheridan Tatsuno, page 4. Sheridan Tatsuno, a member of the A-Bomb Survivors Committee, responds to Prof. Kikuchi’s defense of nuclear power. He argues that unresolved waste storage and meltdown risks deserve serious attention and that anti-nuclear concerns reflect legitimate citizen outrage.
• Eating Habits, by Clifford Uyeda, page 4. JACL president Clifford Uyeda examines how diets have changed, noting Japanese postwar protein and fat consumption has risen sharply and average height has increased. He cautions that natural foods are not inherently safer than processed foods.
• Ms. Liberty, by Roy Iwaki, page 4. Roy Iwaki responds to N. Nakajima’s essay on Japan, Inc. and senior citizens by invoking the Statue of Liberty’s immigrant welcome. He argues the ideals of America remain alive.
• Redress: Pro and Con, by P.C. Staff, page 4. Letters to the editor debate redress, with one writer urging forgiveness, another proposing reparations and congressional letter-writing, and Wallace Sasaki suggesting a Washington library documenting minority injustices in addition to money.
• Shoyama’s 34-year service to Canada, by P.C. Staff, page 5. Profile of Canadian Nisei Shoyama, who after WWII evacuation to Kaslo, B.C. went on to serve Saskatchewan and then the federal government for 34 years. He reflected that being Japanese helped him stand out and be remembered in his career.
• Those Joyous Sounds, by P.C. Staff, page 5. A personal column recalling Japanese exclamations and festival sounds from childhood, such as ‘Ara, dokkoi-sho!’ and ‘Ummai-zo!’. The writer reflects on how these sounds carry joy that resists translation and may fade with time.

Military & Veterans

• Army salutes Nikkei officer for heroic rescue, by P.C. Staff, page 2. Maj. Lawrence Yamaura of Spokane received the Army Soldier’s Medal for rescuing injured soldiers from a burning cargo carrier during training at Ft. Sill, Okla. He beat out the flames with his hands and helped pull two men free.

JACL

• Another Look, by Karl Nobuyuki, page 4. JACL executive director Karl Nobuyuki describes the proposed Op’80s plan, which aims to clarify JACL’s objectives as a national educational, civil, and human rights organization. He invites membership input through local chapters before the plan is presented.
• What It Takes, by P.C. Staff, page 6. JACL reports chapter contributions to the $120,000 redress fund campaign and emphasizes that adequate funds are essential to pass the congressional bills. The column urges members to put their money where their mouths are.
• No Hill Too Steep, by John T. Yasumoto, page 6. John T. Yasumoto, chairman of the 1980 National JACL Convention, announces San Francisco will host the 26th Biennial Golden Anniversary Convention from July 28 to August 1, 1980. He invites members to submit program suggestions and plan family attendance.

Arts & Entertainment

• River Rat and rice, by Ken Konomi, page 7. Columnist recalls a pre-war aspiring writer friend who, while living in a remote retreat, struggled with cooking rice. The column also reviews the friend’s novel River Rat, which the writer compares favorably to classic coming-of-age novels.

In-Depth

• I Might Have Been a South American, by George Ige, page 8. George Ige reflects on a 1979 tour of South America, comparing the Nikkei communities there with those in the United States. He notes the loss of Japanese culture among Issei and the rising prominence of Sansei and Yonsei in South American communities.

Thank you for exploring the Pacific Citizen archive. The title, introduction and contents on this page were written by an AI model from scans of the printed issue, so they may contain mistakes. If you spot one, we would be grateful if you let us know.